BEYOND THE BASICS

Cords make great creative extras for your knitted pieces. You can weave or lace them into eyelets, lace stitches, loosely knit areas or dropped-stitch spaces. For a unique embellishment, shape a cord into any design you like and sew it onto the surface of your project.

Twisted cord is made by twisting strands of yarn together. The thickness of the cord will depend on the number and weight of the strands. Cut strands three times the desired finished length and knot them about 1"/2.5cm from each end.

1. If you have someone to help you, insert a pencil or knitting needle through each end of the strands. If not, place one end over a doorknob and put a pencil through the other end. Turn the strands clockwise until they are tightly twisted.

2. Keeping the strands taut, fold the piece in half. Remove the pencils and allow the cords to twist onto themselves.

I-cord is made on double-pointed needles. Cast on about three to five stitches. *Knit one row. Without turning the work, slip the stitches back to the beginning of the row. Pull the yarn tightly from the end of the row. Repeat from the * as desired. Bind off.